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So I've been thinking about dreading for a while. i have lots of questions...well maybe just a few to start with. Does salt water help lock your dreads? is it bad? is it good? the reason i ask is because im in the ocean alot and just curious. Also, I have seen pictures of when people cut their dreads out they have bald spots, is that normal? how can you prevent having the bald spot if you decide to cut them? i have read on here that backcombing is bad and look crapy i have never seen natural and backcomb side by side nor has anyone ever pointed out which is which to me so i have no idea about that either. soo i guess thats it for now. peace.
updated by @brittney-massey: 01/13/15 08:47:45PM

welcome salt water is great for dreads backcombing can be fairly damaging and looks really goofy for several weeks at 1st i wouldnt say its terible like crochet just not a preferred method


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

so if i do decide to do the backcomb method i don't have to use wax correct because i don't want to at all use wax..

soaringeagle said:

welcome salt water is great for dreads backcombing can be fairly damaging and looks really goofy for several weeks at 1st i wouldnt say its terible like crochet just not a preferred method

u should never ever ever use wax in dreads everbackcombing though tennds to be very inefective meaning it falls apart completely befotre it starts to dreadif u decide to not go natural twist and rip usualy holds togethber much better and looks better from the start too

Brittney Massey said:

so if i do decide to do the backcomb method i don't have to use wax correct because i don't want to at all use wax..

soaringeagle said:

welcome salt water is great for dreads backcombing can be fairly damaging and looks really goofy for several weeks at 1st i wouldnt say its terible like crochet just not a preferred method

--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

thanks for all the help, did you do the twist and pull?

Knottysleeves said:

Definitely no wax! You don't want that crap in your hair, believe me.

Backcombing usually gives a Sideshow Bob look at first because backcombing produces really puffy tangles. But it settles down within a few washings, not to worry. Some of the backcombing may unravel (especially if the tangles weren't tight to begin with) but that's okay, the hair will continue to move around and knot up just fine. Just do the backcombing gently and slowly to prevent damage -- most of the videos around the web have terrible technique, hacking away with the comb and yanking on the hair and stuff.

knotty backcombed i went naturaltheres plenty here who did twist and pullummjust to clarify thoughbackcombings always damaging even the gentlest backcombing ofcourse bad technique the way most sites show is alot worse but just the teeth sliding down the hair shaft even gently lifts up the cuticles (scales covering the hair) causing permenant damagein the 80s backcombing was popular for the big hair look, that was done way way less agressivly then u would for dreads and it was well known to cause tons of split hairs and damaged shafts


--
My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

Totally, well said. I went natural at first for a few months with nothing except for separation and curls due to naturally curly hair. Then, I twist & ripped some, but the knots came out completely in a short amount of time. I did a gentle backcomb and it was crazy for a week or so, so I wore hats alot and after a few months I have pretty much dreaded completely. I did try crochet once on a few of them, but I didn't like how tight they were afterwards so I've gone back to natural (mainly because when I palmrolled them with aloe vera, it took me close to 2 hours and my arms felt like they were going to fall off). So, yeah, anyway, its all a matter of personal preference, but the way I see it, if you are starting out dreads, they are going to grow out and the new growth won't be backcombed or t&r or anything, so whatever you do to start them (aside from dumping stuff on them that won't ever wash out) isn't going to ruin your hair forever.

1st yes salt water helps the dreading process immensly man. its help it knot up real well. just make sure if it gets to dried out put some aloe vera on em or something. a little dry is okay but if they get tooo dry you dont want breakage but im sure they prolly wont get that dry. its more of your skalp drying out that id be worried about. so id say its way more good then bad in my opinion. ive had my dreads for 4 yrs now and never did i have a dread that knotted at my scalp. i mean most ppl dont so if u decided to cut them i dont see why you would have a bald spot. the further to ur scal the less dreaded together it gets. ive cut all my dread off a few times in the past and even after having them for over a year or 2 they never left bald spots. aand ill tell u what when i cut them off i regretted it almost instantly so this set is permanant. i dont think backcombed looks crappy. i mean i backcomed mine and i get compliments all the time. and just cuz u backcomebd or whatever method once theyre dreaded i mean its pretty much gonna be let them go from there.. i mean i started out backcombing 4 yrs ago and now i havent done anything suck as backcomb or twist n ripp or have had the need to do anything for about 3 yrs. i think its just how u take care of them and in my opinion all dreads are diffrent and all are beautiful in diffrent and simular ways. no set of dreads are alike. and trust me no matter how beautiful your dreads are someone out there is gonna give you a hard time or just not understand it. so you have to really want them no matter what others think of them or perceive them. cuz if not soon as someone give you crap you may run to cut them off.so just be openminded and do what you believe is best for you and not what other ppl think are beautiful.

i seen alot of talk about twist and rip. im not pro or against but in my expieience i tried twist and rip and it just doesnt hold in my hair. maybe i have wierd hair or something but it just wouldnt knot for me. id agree with the person who said if u do backcomb do it gently but tightly. dont hack.. and if you go natural/ just be prepared it will take time and in this method you have to seperate the dreads by pulling them apart wich also rips the hair. so no matter which way you do it there will be damage i mean u could go natural and not seperate but then u may end up with unidread. so be prepared and learn all u can!!!!

hippie mama said:

1st yes salt water helps the dreading process immensly man. its help it knot up real well. just make sure if it gets to dried out put some aloe vera on em or something. a little dry is okay but if they get tooo dry you dont want breakage but im sure they prolly wont get that dry. its more of your skalp drying out that id be worried about. so id say its way more good then bad in my opinion. ive had my dreads for 4 yrs now and never did i have a dread that knotted at my scalp. i mean most ppl dont so if u decided to cut them i dont see why you would have a bald spot. the further to ur scal the less dreaded together it gets. ive cut all my dread off a few times in the past and even after having them for over a year or 2 they never left bald spots. aand ill tell u what when i cut them off i regretted it almost instantly so this set is permanant. i dont think backcombed looks crappy. i mean i backcomed mine and i get compliments all the time. and just cuz u backcomebd or whatever method once theyre dreaded i mean its pretty much gonna be let them go from there.. i mean i started out backcombing 4 yrs ago and now i havent done anything suck as backcomb or twist n ripp or have had the need to do anything for about 3 yrs. i think its just how u take care of them and in my opinion all dreads are diffrent and all are beautiful in diffrent and simular ways. no set of dreads are alike. and trust me no matter how beautiful your dreads are someone out there is gonna give you a hard time or just not understand it. so you have to really want them no matter what others think of them or perceive them. cuz if not soon as someone give you crap you may run to cut them off.so just be openminded and do what you believe is best for you and not what other ppl think are beautiful.